Invasiona/escort force formatio/organization

[MaskRider]

Howdy folks,

I was wondering if, among this great pool of talent and experience we have around here, anyone has ever run across any sources for diagrams and/or descriptions that explain the basic disposition of ships in standard invasion task force. You know, something that shows how the ships involved- transports, support ships and armed escorts- were actually arranged on the ocean in relation to each other? I am particularly interested in WWII vintage especially on the Japanese side.

I'm not thinking about Normandy or Okinawa scale operations. Just more modest endeavors on the scale of Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF) and Combined Special Naval Landing Forces (CSNLF) that invaded and occupied such places as Rabaul, Tarawa, Makin Island, Lae and Salamaua, Saipan and Guam, etc..

Even thought they were modest in scale they still involved hefty numbers of ships that had to have been arranged in certain proscribed formations while transiting from place to place.

I pretty much understand how a carrier task group was set up- with a couple of rings of escorts surrounding a core of 3 or 4 carriers. I guess an invasion task group was set up similarly except the core would have been what- the transports and other auxiliary and support vessels?

Thanks!
MR

[Fibber]

.......does this help any...... http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/T/a/Task_Forces.htm
It comes from here... http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/Table_Of_Contents.htm

I also did find this. http://www.combinedfleet.com/kaigun.htm
It had a lot of links under partner sites. The IJN Doctrine has what you want but I was unable to go further within it. Lack of time at this point, but looked like some good starting points to use.
Maybe will try later if I have the time. My mother just passed at 107 and am trying to co-ordinate with my siblings, who are scattered, on some things.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

MR: I don't have the info you requested, but I just use my own sense. I put the carriers in the center, surrounded by escorting BBs and CA/CLs with DDs on the periphery. I have no idea about the formations of the transports, tankers and the bombardment groups. If you want the Task Force/Task Group compositions (ship names and types) go to: http://pacific.valka.cz/forces/index.htm .

[dvslats]

Chris Dude,

Try this LINK.

Do a Ctrl + F on the page with this text. --183--

It's not definitive but may shed some light on the subject.

[MaskRider]

Chris Dude,

Try this LINK.

Do a Ctrl + F on the page with this text. --183--

It's not definitive but may shed some light on the subject.

Wow, Dave, my man,

Plates 45-1 through 45-4 are exactly what I was looking for.

Much of what was being discussed in the interrogation was ha[happening late in the war when escort vessels were hard to come by.

The operation I listed above all took place very early in the war so I'm sure beefing up the number of escort vessels around the convoys would not be out of order.

BTW, did you already know about this source or did you do a quick research burst in response to my post?

Either way I am grateful.



Thanks man.
Chris

[dvslats]

Glad it helped out. It was a burst. I really enjoy research and history.

[MaskRider]

Hiya Dave!

Did you run across this website while you were at it: United States Fleet Anti-Submarine and Escort of Convoy Instructions?I know it isn't specifically Japanese Navy related but still the info contained is relevant.

The above link takes you to the first page. This link will take ya to the page where things really get interesting:Anti-Aircraft Dispositions.

Very, very detailed instructions with many of charts and tables laying out contingencies and procedures for running convoy escort ops depending upon convoy size, time of day, wind conditions, number of escorting vessels, etc., etc..

Cheers,
Chris

[dvslats]

Hiya Dave!

Did you run across this website while you were at it: United States Fleet Anti-Submarine and Escort of Convoy Instructions?I know it isn't specifically Japanese Navy related but still the info contained is relevant.

The above link takes you to the first page. This link will take ya to the page where things really get interesting:Anti-Aircraft Dispositions.

Very, very detailed instructions with many of charts and tables laying out contingencies and procedures for running convoy escort ops depending upon convoy size, time of day, wind conditions, number of escorting vessels, etc., etc..

Cheers,
Chris

Wow Chris, I missed your post. Sorry.

No I didn't venture to the first webpage you mentioned till now.

It really gives one the realization that convoy/escort ops were no simple affair. I can see why the u-boats in the Atlantic barely stood a chance of surviving once these ops were thought up and implemented. There's a diagram and explanation showing five "sub-hunters". Their sweep pattern was a feat of navigation in itself.

Thanks for pointing this one out. A great read!

Dave